This may have been a fixture between the division’s third and fourth-placed teams, but Real Madrid’s defeat to Real Betis Balompie accentuated how tantalisingly close higher reaches are.
Both had a promising opportunity in the opening 10 minutes, although Robin Le Normand headed over and Jan Oblak rushed out to deny Inaki Williams. The attacking intent on display was being met by determined defending, as Inigo Ruiz de Galarreta had two shots blocked and Andoni Gorosabel ensured Alexander Sorloth couldn’t get a clean header off.
The game was flashing by and so was Giuliano Simeone as the half-hour mark approached, but a lung-bursting run from the wideman was halted by Unai Simon and his low cross to Antoine Griezmann was cut out by Yeray Alvarez.
Dani Vivian then blocked Samuel Lino’s strike and Sorloth headed over, while Williams hit the side netting at the other end following a lax pass from Rodrigo De Paul. Seconds after another Sorloth header was blocked on the line by Vivian, Alex Berenguer was denied at the end of a blistering break from Athletic.
The second half started where the first had left off with the intensity remaining high, although there weren’t as many opportunities with Lino’s saved header being the half’s only attempt before Diego Simeone’s triple change in the 59th minute.
Berenguer fired straight at Oblak moments after and Mikel Jauregizar curled an effort wide, but Julián Alvarez made no mistake at the other end.
Marcos Llorente played a perfectly-weighted pass that the Argentine latched onto before coolly finishing just seven minutes after coming on.
Athletic were left in disbelief when Benat Prados and Williams both hit the woodwork, and the former went close again shortly after.
Nahhuel Molina then deflected another Williams strike onto the crossbar as Atleti took all three points in their 10th consecutive unbeaten match across all competitions, which takes them top of the table ahead of Barcelona’s match against Real Sociedad. They also ended Athletic’s six-game unbeaten run in all competitions, leaving them six points behind the top three.